Unmet Healthcare Needs Status and Trend of Korea in 2017
10.4332/KJHPA.2019.29.1.82
- Author:
Hwi Jun KIM
1
;
Jieun JANG
;
Eun Cheol PARK
;
Sung In JANG
Author Information
1. Department of Public Health, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Unmet healthcare needs;
Past trends;
Income
- MeSH:
Delivery of Health Care;
Family Characteristics;
Health Surveys;
Korea;
Nutrition Surveys;
Population Growth;
Poverty
- From:Health Policy and Management
2019;29(1):82-85
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Unmet healthcare needs are being used as an important indicator of the accessibility of healthcare services worldwide. To examine current status and trends of unmet needs in Korea, we used data from four sources: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2007–2017); the Community Health Survey (CHS 2008–2017); the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP 2011–2015); and the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS 2006–2017). The proportion of individual reporting unmet healthcare needs as of 2017 was 8.8% (KNHANES), 10.6% (CHS), and 12.4% (KHP as of 2015). The proportion of households reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost was 0.5% (KOWEPS). Annual percentage change was −19.2%, −13.3%, −5.8%, and −13.3% respectively. Low income populations had more unmet healthcare needs than high income populations. However, unlike the last two studies, the main reason for unmet medical reasons was that there was no time regardless of income level.
